Stop The Mic Pre Madness!!!!!

[BobbyPeru]

A) There have been at least 5-6 GOOD threads on this board about the differences between Neve, BA, Aurora, Phoenix, Great River.

Bottomline: Put your money where your pie-hole is and just buy one....you will be happy. If you want EQ, buy one with EQ.

B)If you don't have any "outboard" Pre's buy anything that says API, Neve, DW Fearn, etc. on it. YOU WILL BE HAPPY.

Bottomline: While this may be this 1st pre you're getting, it definitely won't be the last.

C) You wanna know what Pre sounds good on what.

Bottomline: Plug it in and listen to it. Find out what YOU like. This is why there are MANY Audio Engineers and not just 1. I have about 8-10 different types of Pre's and I use them on different things every session. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT A PRE SOUNDS LIKE BY ASKING WHAT ITS GOOD ON!! You will however find out what it sounds like by using it on everything, more than once, more than twice, hell more times than you probably record in 1 year. And just when you think you don't want to use it on certain things you'll try it, just for the hell of it, and be blown away.

If you want, tell me about your experiences. That's cool. Tell me what made you shit your pants and what "color" it was. But please stop the "What do I plug into what to get what?" Because you plug the Mic into the Mic-Pre to Tape/Converter and that's all you need to know to enjoy yourself for a long, long time.

Bobby Peru
Milwaukee, WI

PS: If you get lost do a search on Google News or this board about whatever pre you want to buy. There are threads, sevenfold, there are threads.

[Dan Kennedy]

Ahhh, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby,

don't go spoiling my fun now. I know it can get a bit repetitive, but somehow, I find it refreshing!







Read this in your best JFK voice please.

[RyanR]

I agree - there already is an abundance of information out there (I've read tons), and there is no substitute for your own experience.

But on the other hand, isn't one of the main purposes of a forum like this to talk about gear? The more people talk about what gear they use the more they lend their valuable insight and experience. I don't see the problem with gathering everybody's opinions, then asking one more time to see if things have changed or someone else has something to say.

[dtobocman]

Originally posted by BobbyPeru
I have about 8-10 different types of Pre's and I use them on different things every session.

Some of us aren't so lucky.

Also, some of us only record in project studios or overdub studios where one or two preamps are all that we'll ever buy, need, or be able to justify. The choice of preamp gets to be more important than in your studio, where you could plug into 8-10 different preamps to get a sound. Lucky bastard.

What exactly are you raving about in your post? Don't click the preamp discussion links if they're getting you irked.

I don't understand people who want discussion to halt because they're irritated. Don't click the link.

[mr.gefell]

opinions change on gear we use as well as the gear owners get more informative about their gear when times go by...

[ozraves]

I think gear obsession is a positive thing for equipment makers and the pharmaceutical companies.

[hrn]

And sound is like fashion. Let's find tomorrows gear. Would not be surprised if it's a natural uncolored sound on 24bit 96kHz CD's or DVD's...

Hans,
www.hagen.nu

[BobbyPeru]

But on the other hand, isn't one of the main purposes of a forum like this to talk about gear? The more people talk about what gear they use the more they lend their valuable insight and experience. I don't see the problem with gathering everybody's opinions, then asking one more time to see if things have changed or someone else has something to say.

I guess I don't understand the insight you're gaining by having someone on a message board tell you "I use Great River NV on snare."

Do you know who most of the posters are?

Do you know the records? Do you own their records?

What does it matter if I like something or Jules likes something or Faeflora? Have you got the records we've recorded in front of you to even listen to? Probably not.

So, most likely, you don't know who posted and you've never heard a record by them. So, then, are you just going with buying a Mic Pre Amp on the sheer popularity of it?

"Well, let see when I asked what the Gearslutz people thought sounded good on snare 4 people said Neve 1073, 3 people said API, 1 person said Telefunken. So, let's see, I think I'll get the Neve, because of the 9 or so people that responded 4 of them liked it and that was the most. Oh shit! I can't afford a REAL Neve, I have to do another poll to find out who likes which of the clones."

Then REPEAT over and over.

I'm not saying getting people's opinions is a bad thing. I'm just saying: if half these people weren't so lazy they'd do a search and answer their own questions. If you want opinions on Mic Amps there are thousands at your fingertips:

Just do a search for Mic Pre.

Also, some of us only record in project studios or overdub studios where one or two preamps are all that we'll ever buy, need, or justify. The choice of preamp gets to be more important than in your studio, where you could plug into 8-10 different preamps to get a sound. Lucky bastard.

If you only have 1- 2 channel outboard mic pre you will most likely like whatever you buy. The first choice isn't the hardest, it's the easiest, because whatever you buy will almost always sound better than what you have.

Bobby Peru
Milwaukee, WI

[JBRecording]

if you don't like reading posts about mic pre's, DON'T READ 'EM!! I am a huge proponent of getting as much insight into whatever I sink my money into. This is not a cheap business, and I work hard to earn the little money I make. I want to make sure that I spend my money on something that is known for being a good product or known for getting good results. Also, if there's a post for some piece of gear from two months ago, me doing a search for that would give me results, yes, but the post would be buried under other stuff, and reiterating the question would bring about more current opinions/results...also, maybe other users bought said item since the last post.

[dtobocman]

Bobby -- it's called "inductive reasoning" and it's not anywhere as reliable as deductive reasoning, but it has some value.

I also find others' views helpful in contextualizing what it is that I'm hearing once I get a chance to actually use the gear in question. This way I can possibly know something more than "this preamp sounds good with this mic on this source on this day in this room combined with leakage from that mic through that preamp....," something I can carry around with me in my storeroom of knowledge.

Someone else's insight on a piece of gear is only valuable in conjunction with a whole lot of other factors; that doesn't mean that it's worthless. Far from it.

Also, it's possible to generalize about gear in the broadest of terms (i.e., clean vs. colored, analog tape vs. DAW, small diaphragm vs. large diaphragm, condensor vs. dynamic, etc.). These distinctions are very helpful -- especially when you're an independent AE or producer going from studio to studio and not relying on deeply ingrained pathways that come from living day in and day out with the same gear in the same environment, not having to think about it, but mostly going by feel.

What irks ME are right-brain ****s that think that any sort of intellectualization or analysis is destructive. If you're one of these people, I've got to ask why you're frequenting a site where gear is discussed, analyzed, and pored over a lot more than "**** you -- I just got my DW Fearn -- aren't you jealous?". I mean, what is this site for, if not to analyze and compare preamps????

And hey, some of us want to understand our gear more than, "gee it really sounds good when I turn this knob." What is wrong with knowing that a GR NV or a Summit TPA acheives different levels of coloration by balancing the input vs. output gain staging? It's good to know that these units provide a range of colors whereas an API or John Hardy doesn't. See -- there are some very helpful things to learn about and good information to share. Why do you want to halt discussion?

Why don't you start a thread that is designed to share information instead of halting it?

[Ruphus]

I think to read other people´s experiences is very valuable. The more there is the more you can derive from it, before you start checking it out yourself.
I had two wrong decisions on gear first when I followed `layman advice´, but there were many other cases especially from GS picked so well that I could hardly have found out myslef about the individual matter.

This is what I wrote to a friend 10 days ago:

I have only little production yet, not worth mentioning, but have learned a lot. Especially in the very last months. And were would I be without the fantastic option with internet ... With the invaluable access to the big boys experience?
I would probably still mike a guitar with a mic pointing to the soundhole and be wondering why the hell then that bombastic thing wouldn´t be fitting into a mix.
I would probably mike everything in stereo and not knowing that it were phasing that made my mix so mushy.
I would probably always work additive with EQ and produce totally dull stuff.
I would probaly be thinking 96k in general were a marketing gag.
I would have 20 pieces, but all shit.
I could be thinking an AKG C3000 was a fantastic mic and that anything more expensive were just snobism. chrrr

Hihi

Ruphus

[Teacher]

i think bobby is frustrated with the fact that its like a 'glitch in the matrix' or a recurring de ja vu daily on this forum...while these guys who are posting it can just do a search and get the same information...

[BobbyPeru]

Originally posted by Teacher
i think bobby is frustrated with the fact that its like a 'glitch in the matrix' or a recurring de ja vu daily on this forum...while these guys who are posting it can just do a search and get the same information...

Thank you.



Bobby Peru
Milwaukee, WI

[De chromium cob]

You have to remember that many folks are just getting here. They're either newbies that dont know how to search for the answer or perhaps just trying to break the ice with the first question they think of. Everything seems obvious when you know how to do it and you have experience under your belt. You have to cut people some slack and just point them in the right direction or JUST IGNORE THEM. Its just that easy!

[CV7]

dfegad Preamps

[hrn]

Preamps

[Greg Heimbecker]

soooooo, anybody making a V-76 clone for under $200?

[RhOdEz]

Well ,it's all matter of perspective ...someone finds another discussion about preamps boring cause he already knows a lot about their characteristics and has lots of expirience using various products or he simply looks for his sonic nirvana info elsewhere.
Maybe that same person will perform endless search for "analogue summing" device and start debate about it cause for him its the only missing link in a quest for perfect sound.
Other ppl maybe dont have problem at all with summing but they look for another eq..or preamp ..so its all subjective really
This is why gearslutz is a great place
I consider all discussions here extremely valuable ,subjective and objective ones ...Some great posts on gear/techniques or simply different focus on some things already helped me a lot thanks to all great ppl who post here
And yup there's a treasure hidden behind that search button and mic preamps're being talked to death already ,can we please start talking bout EQs/tape saturation again

[dtobocman]

Well said, Rhodes!

I'll say this however, gabbing about mic preamps is a lot less pointless than describing what you like about monitors! That's stupid!

[heinz]

man it's the same thing over at the Cake forum, on and on about sugar which type is best, grain size, white vs. brown, blah blah blah. Never enough talk about flour.

[jho]

If you don't like telemarketing calls at dinner don't answer the phone....

If you don't like TV commercials switch the channel.....

If you don't like any of your 8-10 pre's, ship them to me !!!!

[Sir Bob]

Despite the initial post, I am not going to get 10 or more preamps. As a home recording enthusiast, I will be happy to get another one to complement what I have, a 1272. My budget is open although I need more mics, another compressor, etc.

Besides if we don't talk about preamps, what are we going to do? Talk about our feelings?

What bores me about preamp threads, compressor threads, mic threads, etc., is that few people can describe what they are hearing. It is always "blah-blah is the best; blah-blah rules; I use blah-blah on fill-in-the-blank."

Why do you prefer a certain tool for a certain job? What color do you hear? What style of music are you using the Distressor on the snare? When do you like lots of air in a female singer's vocal?
Get the idea?

[swede]

What do you think?
Mackie or Behringer?
i'm going to record a Neve preamp or should i record an API?
I think the Behringer is better for API.
Has anyone tried the preamps in a Canary console?
I think they sound great.Well i have not tried them but that's what i think, what do you think?
Can i use the mackie to record snare,my room has cotton walls, or is it best for stone walls?
Can i do a search on this forum?
Where am i?

[mr.gefell]

Originally posted by heinz
man it's the same thing over at the Cake forum, on and on about sugar which type is best, grain size, white vs. brown, blah blah blah. Never enough talk about flour.

ho hoh ho ho ....

[BobbyPeru]

Awesome! I can see 90% of the people that responded to my thread read my post incorrectly.

So, cool keep the great responses!!!



And while your at it, maybe you can answer some questions:

Which one of the Neve re-issues sounds most like a real Neve?

What Mic Pre should I use on a snare drum I'm about to record?

What Mic Pre should I use to record male vocals(in general)?

What is the difference between a 1272 and a 1073?

I'm going to buy a Neve re-issue which one should I get?

I'm going to also buy my first outboard Mic Pre soon. If you could only choose one, which one would it be?

Oh wait, maybe I should make complete threads out of each of these....

I'll post them all tonight.


Bobby Peru
Milwaukee, WI

[tunesmith]

Dear Bobby,

You're sending out very negative vibrations. May I humbly suggest a blow job, a hot air baloon ride, or perhaps some chocolate? Maybe you should pet a purring kitten, or brew yourself a nice hot cup of tea.

See Bob, here's the bottom line. Whatever gets your jolly juices going, please do it, before you kill everyones buzz.

Cheers.

Tunes.

[Aearth]

Yeh but if we can't talk about preamps, how crap is protools, NS10's, Rode mic's...what is there to talk about???


Nick

[7rojo7]

I swore that I wasn't going to read this thread just because it had the word "pre" in it, I think it was the madness part that attracted me. This belongs in the MOAN ZONE buddy. I know, nobody ever reads things over there, is it any wonder?

[denial]

Originally posted by BobbyPeru
Awesome! I can see 90% of the people that responded to my thread read my post incorrectly.

So, cool keep the great responses!!!



And while your at it, maybe you can answer some questions:

Which one of the Neve re-issues sounds most like a real Neve?
I'm going to buy a Neve re-issue which one should I get?
If you could only choose one, which one would it be?

BobbyPeru: Get a Brent Averill Enterprises 1084 Reproduction with power supply and be done with it. The product and the service is as good as it gets. Talk to Avedis at BAE to find out more and try one out.

[bloodstone]

Using a combination of gear reviews, opinions expressed on forums like these and dealer input, I've never spent a dime on something that wasn't worth the price of admission.